Japanese Prisoners of the Russо-Japanese War in the Arakcheev Barracks of the Novgorod Province

Abstract

The Russo-Japanese War was essentially the first war during which the Hague Convention With Respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land was tested. At that time, Russia, like Japan, was concerned about the country’s international reputation and sought to create the impression of a civilized power. After the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, it made great efforts to ensure that the detention of prisoners of war met international requirements. There were a little more than 2,000 Japanese prisoners of war in Russia. Most of them were kept in the Arakcheev Barracks of the village of Medved, Novgorod Province. The article shows that the prisoners of war had good financial provision and enjoyed freedom of movement in the village. The Russian side tried to take into account the dietary tastes of the Japanese. The article presents the results of the mission of the American Vice-Consul Thomas Smith, undertaken to study the situation of the prisoners of war, according to which the treatment of the Japanese POWs did not cause any criticism. The author also shows that, today, the memory of the Japanese prisoners of war is carefully preserved by the villagers. There is a permanent museum exposition in the local house of culture, and the tombstones left after the burial of the deceased prisoners of war are part of the memorial in their honor.

Keywords

• russо-japanese war
• prisoners of war
• food ration
• freedom of movement
• the village of medved
• thomas smith mission
• memorial
• tombstones